Stiefvater, Maggie. The Dream Thieves.

Stiefvater, Maggie.  The Dream Thieves. (series: Raven Cycle, Book 2)  Scholastic Press   2013 435p $18.99  ISBN 978-0-545-42494-3 hs/adult  Fantasy  VG-BN

In this powerful sequel to The Raven Boys, Stiefvater delves more deeply into the lives of Blue and her friends from Aglionby as they continue their search for the sleeping King.  This book in particular focuses on the group's resident bad boy, Ronan, as he explores his dreams and investigates a family secret that could destroy him.  Meanwhile, Gansey continues his search for King Arthur's resting place, but Blue's relationship with Adam complicates matters.  So does Adam's insurmountable discomfort with being the poor friend, which stirs up trouble between him and Gansey.  Tensions mount and danger looms with the introduction of a murderous medieval scholar who has been tasked with acquiring an artifact the Raven Boys have been using in their search.  The characters deepen and grow in this second volume and the plot thickens delectably, strengthening the bond between readers and Stiefvater's world, which is so full of potential for adventure and enchantment.  The book does not function well as a stand-alone novel, however, and readers unfamiliar with the series would do well to read the first book before beginning this one.

Summary: In this powerful sequel to The Raven Boys, Stiefvater delves more deeply into the lives of Blue and her friends from Aglionby as they continue their search for the sleeping King.
           

Arthurian tales, Adventure-Fiction                                --Hilary Welliver